Leaders and Strangers
by FatedOrNot
Summary: For some of them, this is their last year in Hogwarts; for the others, this their sixth year. But for all of them, their life will change forever this year. Harry Potter AU.


_I was peacefully on tumblr, when I went across various Harry Potter and Naruto crossover and AU's. I am myself very fond of AU's, and I think it's a shame that there is not more Harry Potter AU in the Naruto fandom (well, there is never enough of this king of AU!). Well, this idea popped in my head a few days ago, and two days ago I started writing after doing some research. So, I just started and new ideas come into my mind, and I couldn't stop myself! So here's the first chapter. Keep in mind that English is not my first language, and that I am searching for a beta reader, if you are interested!_

 ** _Disclaimer:_** _I don't own Naruto. If I did, Neji would still be alive._

* * *

 **Darkness and Happiness**

 _Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light. - Albus Dumbledore_

There was smoke everywhere, and a lot of people. People in hurry, yelling and shouting at their children so that they move faster. They were walking, almost running, paying no attention to the world around them, their suitcase in their hands. There were so much sound that it was impossible to understand only one word if you didn't fully pay attention. Children were smiling, waiting impatiently for the train to go, parents wore anxious looks.

There was a pink hair girl, who looked like she was sixteen year old, walking slowly. She was trying not to draw attention, but with her hair color, it was impossible. People were looking weirdly at her, and she even heard some of them whispering to their children "freak...". She didn't say anything. When she was a little girl, she would have scream and says that it was only her natural hair color, and that she couldn't do anything about it. But by now, she had just grown indifferent to what people said about her hair. Years ago, she was ashamed about it. Now, she was proud of her pink hair. It made her different about others.

Even in the wizard world, having pink hair wasn't something normal. She sighed. There were things that didn't change. Her big and green eyes looked around, trying to find some of her friends. She tiptoed, but she was still too small to see properly. If she didn't find them soon, she knew she would get angry, and nobody wanted her to be angry...

"Sakura!" someone shouted, and people turned their head to the center of the sound.

Sakura looked to, and a smile appeared on her face. A few meters away from her was her best friend, Ino Yamanaka, from the powerful Yamanaka family. Without any second thoughts, Ino was pushing people out of her way, trying to approach her friend. Unlike Sakura, Ino's hair were not weird or anything, but people often say "beautiful". And it was the truth. She had long blond hair, shining and tied in a single ponytail in the back of her head. She was as tall as the pink hair girl, but she thinner, and it was her baby blue eyes that caught the eyes of boys.

She may have the look of a bimbo, like people often said, but she had a big heart, was loyal to her friends, and she was incredible courageous. And she had a brain, a pretty good one, contrary to the popular belief. She loved her family more than anyone, that, Sakura could tell. And Ino was someone who could comfort everybody in a few minutes: that was her magical power. No wonder she was in Hufflepuff. A wide smile on her face, Ino finally arrived at the sides of her friend, and she tightly hugged her.

"Sakura! It's so good to see! How was your summer?"

"Ino! You're strangling me!"

But even with those profusion of joys that sometimes tends to annoy Sakura, she couldn't help but be happy to finally see her friends after those long months with her parents. The Haruno loved her family, there was no doubt about it, but she missed her friends during summer. You see, while Ino came from a pure blood family, meaning that there only was wizard in her family, Sakura was born from Muggle's parents, from parents who weren't wizards. She was the first from her family. She wasn't the only one, of course! A lot of others wizards came from parents like hers. But there was some people who didn't see her "kind", like they called it, from a good eyes...

"Sorry, sorry! But I missed you so much!" Ino almost shouted, drawing more and more attention.

"Ino, will you calm down, please?" almost begged Sakura. "I had a very good summer, and I got to see my entire family, but I missed the wizard world so much... And you?"

"Well we stayed at the manor, but Shikamaru and his parents came by often, so it was less lonely!" the blond girl responded energetically. "Well...you know Shikamaru, he was sleeping half the time, like his father, but it's always fun to have someone in the house."

Shikamaru Nara was Ino's childhood best friend, and the two were the polar opposites. The Nara family was also a pure blood family. Shikamaru was lazy, extremely lazy, but also very smart. He probably was the smartest student in Hogwarts, from what Sakura saw. Because of this, the Nara was in Ravenclaw, like the pink hair girl. At first, during her freshman year, she didn't why the Sorting Hat had put him into this House. But she quickly changed her mind when she was what she was capable of when he wanted.

"Didn't you come with him?" asked Sakura, looking around her, expecting to see the pineapple head boy close to Ino, like usual.

"Yes, but as soon as we got here, he says something like 'troublesome' and went into the train without waiting for me to find you," the other girl responded, sounded slightly hurt.

Before Sakura could even open her mouth, someone enter her vision. She looked way older than in the beginning of summer, but it was still her. Two buns on each sides of her head, and a sweet smile on her lips, Tenten Ama had already arrived at the station. She was currently helping a freshman with his suitcase, and Sakura found herself thinking that the girl didn't change. Always helping everybody. When Tenten turned her head as she felt someone looking at her, her brown eyes widened as she saw her friend. Without waiting any second, she ran towards the two girls.

"Hello you two!" she smiled and then hugged the blond and the pink hair girls.

"Tenten! You didn't tell us you were Prefect in Chief!" Ino accused suddenly, pointed at the badge on her friend's breast.

Tenten laughed and nodded, and Sakura wasn't surprised at all. The Ama had always been an exemplar Prefect for Hufflepuff, always kind when she had to, particularly with the first year students, but also very strict sometimes. She didn't mind giving detention, Ino told her one day. As she looked at the badge, it was suddenly clear in Sakura's mind that this was the last year in Hogwarts for her other best friend. Tenten was a year older then her and Ino, that's why she was now Prefect in Chief. This meant that next year, she would not be here with them, and it saddened Sakura, but she tried to hide it, not wanting to spoil the happiness of the moment.

"Are you alright, Sakura?" Tenten asked, concerned by the look on her friend's face.

"Everything is alright! Don't worry Tenten!" Sakura exclaimed. "But, tell me, wouldn't it be difficult to be Prefect in Chief and also the Captain of the Quidditch team?"

Tenten was, since her third year, one of the Beaters of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. And, during her fifth year, she had been promoted Captain, giving her competences in this sport. She had been an amazing player, and it was almost fated that she was Captain. She was harsh sometimes, from what Sakura and Ino saw during training, and she would train them for hours, in whatever weather, but if one of her player was injured, she would do anything to heal them.

"Dunno," Tenten shrugged, as always living in the moment and not the future.

"By the way, did you Hinata yet?" Ino asked, looking at the crowd.

* * *

Hinata Hyuga looked around her, her already big lavender eyes widened, and tried to inhale deeply. She wasn't a fan of crowds, since they always made her feels sick and dizzy. She played with her fingers, a bad habits she had since she was little when was anxious, as she waited for her cousin to put her suitcase in her compartment. She was already in her robe, even if most of the other students waited until they almost arrived to Hogwarts to put it on. She watched her cousin, but not even once did he looked back at her, and it made her feels even more sad.

Her family was pure blood family well known for its members who were all in Slytherin, like the Uchiha family. All, except one person. Her. If she would have been send in Ravenclaw, her father would have forgive her, since it would have proven to him that she was smart. But the Sorting Hat decided that she was perfect for Hufflepuff. At first, she was ashamed, because her family always told her that this House and Gryffindor were the worst. But, as the years passed, she met wonderful people like Tenten and Ino, and even Sakura who was in Ravenclaw, and now she proud to wear the Hufflepuff's colors. Even if her family didn't like it. Even if her own cousin, or her whole family, hated her.

"Thank you, cousin Neji," she murmured as a thanks as he finished his task. She regretted opening her mouth as soon as she saw the glare he send to her.

"Do not thank me. I do not do it because I want to, but only because it is part of my mission on Earth, to help you and protect you. Don't think I like it."

His words were harsh and cold, as always, and it brought Hinata at the verge of tears. When they were little, Neji and her were very close, but now...It was different. Maybe it was because of her cousin's friends. He was in Slytherin, like ha was meant to be. Because since forever, Neji was ambitious and smart, he was one of the smartest people in the school, and he was very cerebral – he didn't care so much for people, particularly people he didn't know. He had no patience for incompetence in others, like he often said to her. He didn't mind being sneaky, and he was very arrogant. He was the perfect Slytherin, and Hinata didn't want to be like that.

"I was merely -" she started, but was quickly cut.

"Do not start babbling, you are already giving me a headache," he said sharply. "Now that I have done my duty, I will return to my friends. Goodbye Hinata."

"That was such a harsh response coming from a pretty boy like you!"

The two Hyuga turned their head to see who had the guts to say that. Without much surprise, Ino smiled triumphantly to them, hands on her hips. At her right sides was Tenten, her head in one hand, looking depressed, and behind her was Sakura, waving at Hinata with a big smile.

"You should not give me a reason to beat you up, Yamanaka," Neji threatened as his eyes darkened. "You may be a pure blood, and your family might be an acquaintance of mine, I will not hesitate to use my magic against someone who disrespect me like you just did."

"I don't think you should say such things in front of a Prefect in Chief, Hyuga," Tenten suddenly said before Ino could say anything more. "It could bring you some trouble."

A smirked appeared on Neji's face as Tenten spoke. She glared at him, hand on her hips, and the two stared at each other for one long minute until the Hyuga spoke, sarcasm in his voice.

"I don't think a Prefect in Chief can punish another Prefect in Chief, Ama."

"What?"

He pointed at his badge on his chest, and Tenten gasped. Until now, she didn't know who was the other Prefect in Chief, and she didn't think one second it could be Neji. Of course, he was a perfect Prefect. Maybe a little bit to harsh with the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff to her taste, but he was never to favoritism, unlike some other Prefect. But she knew that, since he was her colleague now, they would have to spend a lot of time together, and she didn't like it. Not at all.

"Merlin's beard..."she breathed, unable to say something else.

"As you say. I had the same reaction when I was told that my fellow Prefect in Chief was an Hufflepuff, and none other than you. How a simple Muggle born could have been promoted at such a rank?"

" _You little_ -"

Cheerful Tenten was gone now, and a fury took her place. Neji Hyuga always had that kind of power on her, making her loose her control when he opened his mouth. If Neji was quite a teaser, Tenten could be a rather violent person. The boy often said these kind of commentaries about her family and her blood. Truth to be told, he didn't know, and most of the school didn't know to, that all of Tenten's family died not long after she was born in some kind of accident. Nobody knew about it except her closest friend. And since Neji knew, after a bad comment in third year, that that subject could quickly enraged the buns girl, he used it very often.

"Now now, Tenten," he smirked cruelly. "Why such bad words in such a pretty mouth? You should behave. I am not allowed to punish you, but I can easily make your life hell."

With that last sentence, he went out of the compartment, the smirk still on his face as he felt Tenten's glare on his back. This girl was quite an entertainment. He had to be honest, she amused him. Seeing her loosing her usually cool demeanor was something he really liked. And, more than anything, knowing that he was the only one who could do that made him proud and quite content.

"What are daydreaming about Hyuga?" a deep baritone asked.

"None of your business, Uchiha," the older boy snapped.

In front of him was standing Sasuke Uchiha, from the Uchiha family, one of the closest friend of the Hyuga family. Sasuke was very much like Neji. Girls adored them both because of their good looks and always calm composure. The Uchiha was in Slytherin to, like the rest of his family. Like the Hyuga, the Uchiha were fated to be in this House, because of their characters and ambition. Contrary to the Hyuga, no Uchiha was sent in another House. Sasuke was someone proud of his ancestors, and because of this, thought he was above everyone else. He was not interest in Muggle born, finding them rather interesting sometimes, but he preferred Pure Blood wizard, because he was raised like this.

"Someone is touchy today. Did you already seen Ama?" Sasuke smirked, and some girls behind him faked fainting. He didn't pay any attention to them, and them seemed hurt, but he didn't care at all. Girls, for him, were too troublesome as Shikamaru often said, and too weak for him to be interest in them. Power was his goal, and women only weakened him.

"Yes. And she is my fellow Prefect in Chief," Neji rolled his eyes.

"I will love to see you two working together. Try not to beat each other head before the end of the year."

Neji only glared at Sasuke as he entered their compartment as the train started moving. The two of them were renowned for them antisocial abilities. They didn't liked crowds and weak and loud people. So, they only hang out with each other.

"This year is going to be exceptional, I can assure you."

* * *

"The nerves of that _guy_!" Tenten grumbled as she ate her Pumpkin Pasties.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. Neji's power on Tenten's mood was...incredible. There was no other word. While the buns hair girl was rambling about how the Hyuga was an abominable prick, Ino was calmly eating her Chocolate Frogs with Hinata, and the pink hair girl was reading the last book of summer, about vampires and werewolves.

"Sakura, please, _sweetie_ , just drop this book of yours and come back to reality!" Ino's voice suddenly reverberated in her ears.

"Ino, I'm almost finished," Sakura's responded, not even glancing at her blond friend.

"Merlin's beard...I know now why people somewhat don't want to be friends with Ravenclaw...Because you guys are so boring!"

Green pupils meet baby blue eyes. If Ino and Sakura were usually in good terms, their characters were sometimes the cause of clash. Like right now. Because the two girls were not only best friends, but also rivals in everything possible. Tenten sighed and Hinata looked at the two girls with worried eyes.

"Here we go again..." Tenten rolled her eyes.

"Now I know why Sasuke didn't pay any attention during her first year!"

That was a low blow. Everybody knew that Sakura held special feelings for the Uchiha heir when she was younger. She actually confessed to him during their first year, but he only said that she was annoying, and walked away, leaving the poor girl heartbroken. It wasn't an uncommon thing. Sasuke was attractive and smart: a lot of girls liked him, even if he didn't care. Since then, the pink hair girl vowed to hate the Uchiha. But the girls knew that, deep inside, she still loved him, even if she choose to not show it, and hide it behind hate.

Things were about to get really ugly, Tenten knew it. Especially since they were in the Hogwarts Express, so they could use their wands, even if they weren't seventeen yet. And the two of them could be really destructive with their spells.

"Everything's alright here?"

The four girls turned their head, and Hinata almost fainted. In front of them was standing three boys. In the middle, Naruto Uzumaki. A blond hair boy, wearing a big grin on his face, and his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. At the sight of him, everybody could tell he was a troublemaker. His tie was loose around his neck, and his robe was not put correctly. But, behind this appearance, Naruto was a complex kid. He lost his parents when he was very young, not even a day after he was born. All he knew was that his mother was a Pure Blood, and his father a Muggle born, making him a Half Blood. But he never lost his cheerful appearance. For him, giving up was never an option. No one had seen someone as fierce and stubborn as him; even when everyone was telling that he couldn't do something, he would prove them wrong soon after. If he wasn't the most brilliant student, his will was what made him that strong. And Hinata had a big crush on him since their first year at Hogwarts, but the blond was too dense to see it.

"Are Ino and Sakura going to fight? I want to see it! _I want to see it_!"

Another loud voice was heard at the right of Naruto. Kiba Inuzuka was quite tall for a sixteen years old boy, and had short brown hair. He was smiling at the girls, but instead of a goofy smile like his blond friend, it was flirty smile, like always. Kiba came from a family that loved dogs. He had one, named Akamaru, but it wasn't allowed to the school so he had to let it stay at home. The Inuzuka family was also renowned to have many Animagi in it. Meaning that a lot of Inuzuka were able to morph in a particular animal: most of them were dogs. The girls never seen Kiba actually morph, but they heard that his Animagus was a white dog, looking like Akamaru. It amazed most of wizard, because being an Animagus was something very difficult.

"They are not going to fight. Why? Because we interrupted them."

And last but not least, the infamous Shino Aburame, the quiet but smart Ravenclaw. Shino was, well...Shino. People tend to not understand him and avoided him, because of his impressive stature and the fact that he rarely spoke. Even his friend sometimes forgot he was at their sides. Shino always wore sunglasses, and he had a certain affinity with Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. Since he was in the same House as Sakura, she knew him the most. Well, she didn't know him very well, but it was better compared to other. All she knew was that he was extremely smart, really like the word "because", and spoke only when it was necessary. And that he came from a Pure Blood family.

"H-h-hello N-Naruto, K-Kiba and S-Shino."

Ino resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Hinata was someone very shy. But since she knew the three other girls, she learned to be less shy and more confidant. It actually worked. Well, except when certain loud mouth blond hair boy was around her. And the worst was that he didn't seem to even see how Hinata was anxious around him. These two were hopeless.

"Hinata! How was your summer?" Naruto asked as he sat beside the long hair girl who blushed madly.

"It w-was g-g-good," she stuttered as tried to look anywhere but at Naruto. "We-we didn't go a-anywhere, b-but some family came."

* * *

"Expecting something particular from this last year?"

The Hyuga didn't even looked away from his book as Sasuke spoke. Neji was always studying or training. No wonder the Sorting Hat hesitated between Slytherin and Ravenclaw during his first year. If he didn't have almost begged it to send him in Slytherin, he was sure he would have been a Ravenclaw. It was not as shameful as being in Hufflepuff like his cousin, but the long hair boy wanted to perpetuate the tradition.

"Nothing except having a perfect score at the exams," he said in a monotonous tone.

Being in his seventh and last year in Hogwarts, Neji had to passed a Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test, often abbreviated N.E.W.T, in order to pursue a career after his graduation.

"As expected of you, you still as cocky as I remembered," Sasuke smirked as he opened a Chocolate Frogs. Neji raised an eyebrow as he finally looked at his friend.

"It is not being _cocky_ , if this is the reality," he finally said after a pregnant pause. "I am confident in my capacities, so I will have a perfect score at the N.E.W.T."

"SAKURA, MY BEAUTIFUL CHERRY BLOSSOM! HERE YOU ARE!"

The two winced at the same time, hearing the voice of Rock Lee. Lee was in the same year as Neji and Tenten, and in Hufflepuff, like the buns hair girl. He had big black eyes and a bowl cut, and was the spitting image of one of their professor. People knew him because he was really loud, more than Naruto and Kiba reunited, and because he was the second Beater in the Hufflepuff's Quidditch team, with Tenten. In the eyes of the Hyuga and the Uchiha, he was not someone interesting. Lee was a Muggle born and had not exceptional talents in magic, only in Quidditch. All they knew was that he was totally in love with Sakura Haruno since the first time he saw her during his second year and her first year.

"It seemed that their little gang of losers is now complete," Sasuke smirked as Tenten said something unintelligible.

"You seems to paid some sort of attention to them. That's quite strange for someone who claims that he don't care about anything else than his family and power," Neji accused as he eyes the Uchiha.

"Don't be ridiculous Hyuga. They _amuse_ me, that's all."

"If you say so. Now, I have to go to a meeting with the others Prefect, I will return after."

Sasuke nodded, and Neji went out of the compartment. At the same time, Tenten exited from hers, and their eyes met. He could see the hatred in her usually warm auburn big eyes, and he smirked even more. She was too easy to irritated.

"Ama. I won't say it's a pleasure to see you here but, since we have to work together this year, why not going to the other Prefect together?"

"Don't think because we have to work a lot more together that I will be more sweet with you, Hyuga," she groaned as she followed him. "I am not happy with the situation."

"Neither am I," Neji said as he opened a door for her. She didn't thank him.

"Then things are clear. I don't like you, you don't like me -"

"I thought it was already pretty clear, since we can't stand each other company since our first year in Hogwarts," he said.

"Don't interrupt me when I'm talking," the buns hair girl mumble menacingly, and he put his hands up as a sign of excuse. "As I was saying, we don't get along. But, for the sake of everyone, I am incline to...be at least pleasant with you if you do the same. Deal?"

"Deal," the Hyuga responded. "By the way, don't your friends, Rock Lee and Ino Yamanaka, are also Prefects?"

"They didn't follow me?"


End file.
